Problematic Situations
by Sgt. Socks
Summary: Max learns a secret Jeb withheld from her.Withheld from everyone.What if this secret changes everything?A relationship is lost, but is there a better one to follow for the fearless leader? And doesn't Val deserve her own chance at love? FAX IggyxOC
1. Okay, this is like breaking news to me

**:D Hello all. This is my newest series, Problematic Situations. It started as a FangxOC fic, and a Miggy, but…I couldn't do it. I wanted to do a Fax one. So, here ya go. :)**

**I hope you like it. Sierra156 is my beta for this, and she...well, she _LOVES_ it, apparently. :D I hope you do too!**

**R&R! If you want more, I promise. I'll put more. It starts out like the end of a Miggy thing, but it's coming.**

**Just let me know! :D**

**Oh! Right. I also must add...Iggy is the oldest male in this series, and he's got the role of Fang (not the personality, the role) and Fang has the role of Iggy. Fang is the blind one, and Iggy is the one with eyesight. Other than that, they're still the same person, just different ages and roles. Like, Iggy is Max's best friend, her second-in-command. and, obviously, Iggy is the first one she crushes on and kisses and such.**

**he's also the one who left the leading. Fang still has the blog, though.**

**but yes. R&R! :D I'll put more if you do. :)**

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><p>Alright. This time, I'm gonna give you a track name.<br>That's it. No lyrics.  
>If you want to listen to the track while reading the chapter<br>Go ahead. :) It's awesome that way.  
>But, you don't have to. Just an option.<br>Yep.

00. Born Like This: Three Days Grace

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><p>The room was dead silent as we all exchanged our own glares. Mine were the worst, by far, but that's to be expected.<p>

I was the one effected most.

On one hand, I wanted to punch him, beat that perfect face of his in and tell him to get the hell out.

But, that left us right back where we were just three days ago. And I didn't like that—hated it, even. I wouldn't admit it out-loud, but it was hell without him. I _needed _him.

He would just never know that, especially now; not when he was probably planning to disappear once Mom and _Jeb _were done talking to us.

And that was an entirely new thing on its own. If it weren't for the wonderful chocolate chip cookies Mom had made, mostly for me, I would've snapped and yelled at both of the men sitting around the dining room table with me.

Well, the cookies and, erm, Fang.

It was just the five of us—Mom, Jeb, Fang, _Iggy_, and me. Everyone else was in the living room, arguing over what TV show to watch. In the end, we all knew Angel would win. Little devil always had a way of pulling that off.

Okay, I say that like I don't really know how, but we all truly do.

I took another bite of cookie. "We can sit here awkwardly staring at each other all day, _Dad_, but we all know you didn't just come for a happy, wonderful visit. Why are you here?"

"I've noticed you and Iggy have a... growing... relationship, I guess you could call it," he observed nonchalantly.

Through my peripherals, I saw him look up at me, almost as if he was asking if that still existed through those piercing blue eyes of his. But, at the same time, I knew he expected what I said in response.

A part of me wanted to continue it, at least around Jeb, simply because I wanted to rebel against him.

"No we don't. But even if we did, you didn't come here to play father for the first time in your life."

"No," he agreed. "In any other circumstance, I do not plan to get involved in any way when it comes to your relationship."

"Well, in _any _circumstances, I advise you don't," I snapped back coldly, letting my eyes tighten a little. "But why this one?"

"You and Iggy simply cannot have a relationship," he began, folding his hands down on the table and clearing his throat a little. He straightened his back and kept his chin up high. "You don't need to know any more than that."

"The hell I don't," I all but yelled. "Don't you _dare _come down here and tell me something like that and then stop there. Why not?"

"No," Mom gasped suddenly, eyes wide. "Jeb, you better not be telling me... you lied to me! You ungrateful bastard! Oh God! What did you do to these two?"

"Mom?" I whispered, my own eyes widening a little. It worried me, and Iggy too, because he was now focused only on her. It seemed we were all unable to do anything but widened our eyes and look at Mom.

Except Jeb, whose expression was perfectly calm and serene.

"Valencia, I am sorry, but we couldn't tell you," he said heartlessly as he stood from the table and began to head out. "You weren't supposed to find out she was alive either, but you did."

Mom was panting, her teeth tightening, and her fists clenching. "Jeb Batchelder, you get your low-life self right back here and face these two! Look at your daughter in the eye and tell her what you've done!"

"She has my DNA, yes, but I don't really think I can consider her my daughter," he said simply.

"Just like you can't really consider Ari your son, after all the wonderful things you did to him too," I agreed bitterly. "You're right about that part. You are _not _my father."

"And I have no intentions to be," he nodded. "We have that in common. Neither of us want one another in our lives."

"What did you do that's upsetting Val so badly?" Iggy spoke up, for the first time.

"We lied to her fifteen years ago," Jeb said nonchalantly, shrugging. "Told her the second specimen we created from her didn't survive."

"And it did?" Iggy guessed, still just as confused as I was about this whole messed up situation.

Jeb nodded. "Yes. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

Mom suddenly lost it, and she reared back and punched Jeb, _hard_. "After what you've done, the least you could do would be break it gently! Or get the hell out and let me do it! Go, Jeb! Never come back! If I see you again, I will not hold these kids back. I'll let them kill you!"

"Max?" Nudge asked quietly, stepping into the kitchen—eyes wide. "Why is Jeb here?"

I couldn't speak, couldn't _move_. All I could do was stare. My eyes were already looking at Iggy, so that's where we were both stuck, awkwardly staring at each other and having to swallow a hard, truthful, disturbing fact.

We were... brother and sister.

Literally.

And we kissed. So many times. We had...intimate...romantic feelings for each other...and we kissed!

Mom was right to warn Jeb the way he did. I wanted to kill him now, but I couldn't move to do so. He was standing to his feet and shuffling quickly out the door, but I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. All I could register was Fang's hand gently squeezing mine, for reassurance; to show me he was still there.

Yeah; still there. Where I knew he always would be. Unlike Iggy... my... my...

Brother.


	2. 01: Patience may be a virtue, but I

**okay. i have redone this series, starting after the prologue, to clear up some confusion. in my mind, everything made sense, because i knew what was going on, because it's in my head.**

**when i was informed it was confusing by multiple sources, i took a step back and looked at it from a reader's POV. and i saw just how right you were. it was VERY confusing, and i hope i have cleared up all confusion now. if anything still confuses you, let me know, and i'll try and fix it or explain or...idk. just lemme know.**

**i hope you like this version better. :) it evens out the IggyxOC romance with Fax. so, neither is too heavy or too rare. it's a balance, and i think i'll end up liking this series much better for that. as will all of you Fax fans reading. :D**

**so, yes. here it is. it's pretty long, but it's very explanatory? if that's a word? idk. lol. but, here it is. hope you enjoy this series, and i hope to have cleared up all confusion.**

**yes. thank you. please read and review. like the past reviews for this one, it helps me. if critisism is constructive, i don't mind it. if you're gonna be an ass, plain and simple, that's a little different. but, i can take it. i just ignore assholes. i had someone tell me i should stop writing, because i'm that terrible on one of my other accounts on my first thing to ever write. ever. so, i took that, kept writing, kept getting better, and now i'm here.**

**i guess it helped me, but i'm not like everyone. some people take that to heart, so this goes for all the time. don't be so harsh. people have feelings, and to tell them to never write again? really? no. don't do that. ever.**

**sorry. i just hate it when people say shit like that to destroy someone's dreams. cause it does.**

**now. sorry. here's the super long redone chapter one in Max's POV. :) hope you enjoy.**

**oh. btw. the entire title of this chapter wouldn't fit, so i'm just putting part of it and telling you the rest here. i'll do that for any chapter titles that don't fit.**

**01. Patience may be a virtue, but I don't have any.**

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><p>Track 00. Born Like This: Three Days Grace<br>**Track 01. Break Out! Break Out! : All Time Low**

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><p><strong>*6 years later*<strong>

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" I yelled arrogantly, cocking my hip to the side with my hand resting on it.

His dark eyes didn't meet mine. Actually, he didn't even turn. Instead of our faces meeting, my face met one of his pillows. And then an inappropriate hand gesture.

"Oh, that's how we're gonna play?" I asked under my breath, laughing darkly as I stepped inside, closing his door behind me.

Mom would _not _approve of this. In any form or fashion.

But I know how to get my way with Fang. In this kind of instance.

Give the boy some credit. He has a mind of his own and a backbone to speak it.

But, right now, it was time to get what _Max _wanted, and Max wanted Fang to get his lazy butt out of bed.

So, what do I do, being the smart, charming person I am?

I crawl into bed with him, which was enough to surprise him and wake him up. But only a little. When I straddled him and leaned in really close, my breath tickling his ear...he was sitting up holding me, his hands gripping my arms firmly, with a pining hold.

Fang...turned my own trick against me?

No, because I had won. The guy was up, wide awake. But now, I was sitting in his lap, held here by his grip. As much as I hated admitting it, he _was _stronger.

That wasn't really what was keeping me here, though. That _really _sucked to admit, which is why I will tell you that if you _ever _repeat what I'm about to say, I will come after you with a rusty ax.

Hell. I don't even need an ax. I'll just kill you with my bare hands.

It wasn't his grip keeping me in this...rather uncomfortable position. It was those eyes; the dark, beautiful, mystifying orbs of wonder staring at me as if nothing else mattered in the world.

My mind began to wander, off to a perfect fairytale land—a place where Fang and I were more than just—

No. Stop this train of thought _right now_!

When I stopped thinking about it, I was able to scramble up and get a grip on my senses, taking a deep breath to calm myself. "Get up, sleepy head. The Crosslins will be arriving any minute."

He was now in a very sour mood, because he was scowling as he stood from his bed and began pushing me out. "Yeah, yeah. Got it. Be out in a minute."

Damn that boy and his stupid incomplete sentences.

I just sighed again, irritated that I let myself get caught up like that. How could I do such a thing?

I couldn't, not again.

_That's it, Max. Good girl. Remember the boundaries_.

Ugh. Those stupid boundaries I had set up. He didn't know they existed, but they were there. All strong and resolute.

Because I refused to admit to myself that I had feelings for Fang deeper than friendship. I wouldn't call it a sibling thing, because I wasn't going there. Not anywhere close. Fang and I would never be together, but I still wasn't gonna risk putting that…

No. _Not _happening.

I shuddered as I thought back to that day, six years ago.

Wow. Six whole years...the time really has just flown by.

It took us another year to finish Itex, hopefully for good. But, we managed, and we decided to lay low. We had saved the world, and everyone recognized us. So, we had some hiding out to do. Originally, we thought we would dye our hair all kinds of crazy colors, but we decided to keep it simple.

Just change our names and make full background stories, with the documentation to prove it all.

Anyways, after a year, everything _finally _settled down, and we started living with Mom. Iggy never left us again, because he liked it here. But, it was too boring. Still is. It's what they all want, though. A roof over their head, all the time; never worrying about where the next meal will come from, that fear disappearing; and an adult they can look to for comfort, besides me.

And now, now that we were finally getting used to the flow of things again, Mom's fallen in love. Finally, she found someone who made her as happy as we did. No, correction: happ_ier_ than we did, because she had us _and _Jason—her love.

They met two years ago. One of her workers at her new clinic she opened up—her first very own clinic—introduced them, and they instantly connected. They were just friends for a while, but it turned to more. Much more. A year or so ago, I think.

So, now, they decided to get engaged, but, there's a catch.

They're not getting married until they're certain it's what's best for the families—his and ours. Until they're certain we can manage under the same roof without killing each other, they're not actually getting married.

We were all a little worried about this whole situation. It was a little messed up. On one hand, we were eager to meet this family and make them ours. We wanted Mom to be as happy as absolutely possible, especially after all the crap she went through with us.

But this...it was risky. Our covers could easily be blown if things didn't work out right with them.

I have no doubt that Mom and Jason are soul mates. I've seen them together, and it's just so obvious! When soul mates meet, _everyone _can tell those two are meant to be. Except each other, it seems. You have to prove it to them.

I don't really get how people can be so oblivious like that. I mean, soul mates...if you have one, you're lucky. I'm one of those people who believes that not everyone _does _have a soul mate, and the ones who _do_, they're the lucky ones.

All the rest of us have is true love. Sometimes. Maybe?

Ugh. I don't know. This whole "love" this is just a confusing mess to me. Ever since we've started settling down and moving on with life...I've been thinking about it more and more, thinking about a certain guy who has been there with me through it all—except that brief period when we split over the whole "Ari" thing. But, that separation...it brought us closer, even now.

Fang was constantly on my mind, because I had nothing to distract me anymore! It's so irritating, because I don't want things to change. At the same time, I'm curious. I'm hopeful. I'm just...it's confusing, and—

Okay. Enough of my completely out of character emotional ramble. That's the downside of "settling down." You "get in touch with your emotions," and it's sickening.

Ugh. I need an Eraser to beat the hell out of, to get my mind off things.

Oh! Right. Our undercover names.

Mom and Ella kept their names, because they have fairly common names, and, I mean, not putting them down or anything, but people really don't know their name and face like they know ours.

But they should! They just don't, I guess because they don't have wings?

I don't know.

Anyways, my stupid name is _Alexandria_, and I go by Ali. It's not that it's a bad name...for someone else. It's just not me. At all.

I can't see myself as anything but Max, though. So, I'm kinda biased.

Our cover story makes Iggy and me twins, because we're only four months apart otherwise. That just can't normally happen. I'm the oldest, just a few hours older than Iggy. We're both twenty-one, like our actual ages are, and we're currently going to the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

Why? It's a good medical school, and that's what I want to be—a surgeon of some kind. I haven't gotten into the specifics just yet.

Iggy's name has been changed to Will. He's actually finished up school, because he went summers to finish a whole year early. He's currently looking for a job as a science teacher.

I think he'll make for a good teacher, to be honest. I'm not sure if he's mature enough yet to teach high school kids, but, hey. If he can get a job and stick with it, more power to him.

Then, there's my pretend boyfriend, Fang—also known as Nick Riley. He's eight months younger than me, like in reality. Fang's actually getting a degree in forensic science.

We watched _NCIS_, and he got hooked on Abby. She inspired him, apparently, and that's what he's getting into.

Alright. Well, there's Blake Seaver, Ella's boyfriend? Fiancé? I don't remember if that's official yet. I know he's planning to ask her at some point, or maybe he already has? I don't think so, though, because there hasn't been any random squealing.

Anyways, he's going to Auburn University to learn how to be a vet, whereas Ella is learning to be a veterinary assistant—something she pretty much already knows how to do perfectly. They're both nineteen, but she's a few months younger.

And then there's Monique Rodgers—or Nudge, as we all know her as. She's still here in Arizona, going to a local community college. She wants to go somewhere big, but right now, she's just going through cosmetology school. But, she's only been in a year. She _loves _it, especially since she doesn't have much longer. I think she'll be good at that.

After Nudge, there's Gazzy, obviously. At this point, he's fifteen, so he's just a sophomore in high school this year. His fake name is Jackson Hotch. And then, after Jackson, there's his baby sister, Emily Hotch. She's about to be thirteen, start her eighth grade year.

I'm glad I never had to go to middle school, because from what I hear, it's hell.

As I was saying before my mind got completely off topic and informed you of our cover names—the stories will come later, my friend—we're not sure what to do. We can't pretend to be normal the entire time these guys are here, because soon, they'll be moving in for good. And, yes, the majority of us will be off in college, but we can't put that kind of pressure on Angel and Gazzy...to continue living the lie all the time.

So, we had to determine when it was safe to tell them. It was a decision everyone was leaving to me, but it was something I refused to do alone. I would talk to them, discuss it with everyone, before telling the Crosslin family our little secret.

From the way Mom acted when we addressed her about it, they had some secrets of their own.

I don't know. Can't be anything like ours.

The hardest part wouldn't necessarily be hiding our wings, because we've found a way to _literally _make those disappear. It makes blending in with society a little easier, I must admit.

But...the wings weren't the issue here. The issue was gonna be these new powers that we seemed to be getting, out of nowhere. They all would've come in handy quite often before, but we just get them now. Now that we've settled down.

The problem we're having is our control of them.

Now, we're all pretty badass. I'm not even gonna lie. The wings are _incredible_, but now? Now that we have powers to go along with them?

It's just...wow.

Well, we'll start with Iggy, because why not mix things up a little? Okay. So, before, he was able to run a little faster than the rest of us, but nothing really significant. I mean, none of us really had anything that _really _made us special, besides the wings.

Now, Iggy can run so fast _none of us _can see him. With our supersonic eyesight? Not past an instant blur.

It's _amazing_.

He also has the ability to take abilities away from people and channel it to either himself or someone else. This is something he's starting to master the weaker stage of this, actually, because back five years ago when we were destroying the final Itex—that we know of—he used it on an Eraser, who lost his wings and his wolf mutation. And he fell to his doom.

So for a while, Iggy had two pairs of wings and was able to morph. But, he gave that to a corpse. Which worked, thankfully. Eraser Iggy is _not _a pleasant thing to see.

Before he got it under control, he took Angel's ability to read and control minds. The problem with his ability is, once he takes it from you, he can't give it back. So, she lost those, and she was devastated. He felt pretty terrible, but it wasn't his fault either.

He didn't want those, so he gave those abilities to a corpse also. And I was a little glad too, because Angel didn't need that kind of power. No one does.

He's also hydrokinetic, which, in simpler terms, means he can control water—randomly make it appear, make it do whatever he wants if it's already there, and absorb it too. That kinda stuff.

Alright. Finally, we're wrapping Iggy's awesome things up and getting to his most powerful ability. Iggy, my little brother, is empathetic, which means he has the ability to feel the emotions of the people around him, and control them. Actually, I think it's anyone within a mile radius, to be honest, because he's done it to me when I wasn't even in the same room.

Let's just say I beat him repeatedly for that. Hasn't done it since.

Now, onto Fang. Yeah. We'll go in age order, minus myself, of course. We'll start with his weakest ability and work up to his strongest.

Fang discovered, last week, that he has the ability to create a force field, or a shield, around himself. He's worked it up, in just this past week, to stage two. Once he got it to where he could emit it out ten feet tall, and ten feet wide, he began strengthening it. Ten feet was enough for the flock, plus Mom, plus Ella, plus the Crosslin family.

Unless they're large, but if they're like Jason, they're not. At all.

Umbrakinesis is next, but it's pretty damn strong. That is the ability to, basically, create shadows around yourself and control them. It's pretty creepy, but it's effective. Seeing the shadows pick things up, as if they were another person...it's strange, but really awesome.

Then there's his phasing ability, which basically means he can walk through walls or anything solid. He gets into trouble with that one, a lot, especially when he mixes it with his strongest ability—the ability to disappear, now on will, and move around.

Yeah. He built that one up.

Oh darn. I almost forgot the claws he has...basically, it's just his nails, but when he has enough adrenaline pumping—or whenever he commands them to come out—sharp nails come out and can cut through some seriously strong metal. It's kinda like a cat, but stronger.

Don't you dare tell him I compared him to a cat.

Then, Nudge, she has her magnetism. That's pretty strong now too, but she doesn't really see a point in building it up _too _strong. I told her it might come in handy one day, but she doesn't listen. She's Nudge.

Teenagers. What can you do besides love 'em?

If Fang heard me say that, I can _guarantee _his response would be, "Kill 'em?"

Ugh. I'm around that boy too much for our own good.

Anyways, beyond that, Nudge is _super _flexible and elastic. She's not _really _stretchy, nothing creepy, but she's pretty scary flexible. I don't know how she does some of the gymnastic stuff she does, and I sometimes wonder how she unbends herself...then, I remember that I really don't wanna know that.

Um...hmm...oh. She's electrokinetic, which means she can control and produce electricity. It's harder for her to produce it, though, because she has to have some energy. If outside, she's fine. Inside a dead building? No. Not a chance. She has to have a power source. Which can be the sun.

And, to go with that, she can electrically transport. Which basically means she can transport through some electrical wires and end up at the end. It's good for speed and efficiency, but it's not so powerful as to say, a snap and you're one place, a snap you're at another.

Not that I want that. Once again, way too much power.

Gazzy's are pretty much predictable. He's toxikinetic, which means he can control poisons, toxins, and pollution, basically. Or deadly fumes people might release in the air. It's pretty neat, and if he wanted, he could save the planet.

But that's a lot of work for a fifteen-year-old boy. Not that he _couldn't _do it, but, I mean, why make him? The world's a cruel place, but fixing pollution won't really help much.

And, of course, his old toxic waste abilities he's had since...birth. He's also heat resistant, and he can make things spontaneously burst into flames. It's pretty incredible.

He tried that on Iggy, and things just got messy. Fire and water going _everywhere_. And then most of Iggy's clothes burned off, and I had to put an end to _that_.

Ugh. Boys.

Then, there's Angel. She was pretty down when she lost all her old abilities, but when she started growing more, she cheered up a little. Just a little, not a lot, but a little. Which is better than nothing.

She still feels useless, though, but I try to tell her she's been as helpful, and will continue to be, as anyone else.

The problem is, I can't seem to get through to her, because I've never been in her shoes. She's going into this deep depression, and she's started going bad. Bad as in, I caught her drinking yesterday. She got a tattoo on her ribs that say _Fight or flight_. It's pretty sweet, and I'm not saying tattoos are bad. It's just...she's just turning dark...and she got black lowlights underneath her usually blonde hair.

Once again, not saying that's bad. She's just worrying me. She's finding an interest in all these scary bands that truly terrify me. I have no idea what they're saying, but she seems to, and I'm seriously worried.

I need someone who can communicate with the girl, someone who understands that she can relate with. But, I don't know what middle school drama and confusion is like. I really don't. Never been there.

How can I forget the time I walked in and found her making out with her friend, Kara? That was a _nightmare_. Needless to say, Kara hasn't been over since...

Anyways, before I start crying and screaming and worrying all over again, I'll just tell you her new abilities.

She's worked up her morphing ability, and she can now talk to and control animals. Still can breathe underwater too. As can Iggy and Fang. Along with that, she has this thing called intuitive aptitude. Big words summarized means she can sit down with a super complex and mortifying piece of equipment and instantly know how to work it, after touching it once. It works with anything like that, really, and it's really neat.

Now mine? Well, I'm very weakly vitakinetic, which summarized means I can heal some minor injuries and make major injuries smaller. I can't bring back the dead or anything, not that I would want to. So, that's one. Another is, I'm sort of able to disappear. It's another very weak ability, because it's only at the stage Fang's was back...wow...seven whole years ago. So, one day, it'll build up, but not yet.

Then there's my dehydration ability, which means I can get any living thing and literally suck the water out of it. It usually goes into my body, but if Iggy's there, he can get it before it does and use it for whatever.

It's kinda terrifying, because I tried it on a plant, and it withered and died. Right before my eyes. An Eraser? Same story, except it just fell over and turned to dust and old bones.

Scary. Very much so. Iggy could probably _technically _do it, but he doesn't wanna think that hard to get something that terrifying. He would rather just stick with what he's got.

And, other than my super fast flying—which has gotten much faster, I must add—I don't have anything else.

These things we've gotten...they scare me, honestly. What if the power gets to our heads? What if we accidentally hurt someone innocent?

What if we kill the Crosslin kids? Jason would be furious, and there goes Mom's happily ever after!

I just...I'm so worried about all of this, because we can't hide it, but we can't tell them until they're sworn into secrecy—basically until Jason and Val seal the deal.

So...I'm just kinda waiting impatiently, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.


	3. 02: Getting into my mind is a scary thin

**02. Getting into my mind is a scary thing to do.**

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><p><strong>02. World So Cold: Three Days Grace<strong>

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><p><strong>*Mika Crosslin*<strong>

I was never what you would call "ordinary." No matter how hard I tried to be, to just fit in, nothing ever worked. So, I did the only thing I knew to do.

Become my own person, the person I was meant to become.

I was pretty content being my own person. It didn't leave me with many friends, but the ones I had were true. They stayed with me through it all, and if they didn't and started trying to fit in themselves, I was okay and able to move on with the others.

My brother . . . he had a chance to be popular . . . but he stayed back with the "misfits." Just for me.

It's why we were and still are best friends—closer than close. I could tell him anything without fear. He wouldn't tell or judge me. And it was the same vice versa.

The day he told me he would do me if we weren't blood was a little odd, but we got past it.

Growing up, I had so many feelings. My emotions controlled my life. I loved everyone, and I was always gushing with happiness. I got that from my mom, whereas my dad and brother were like most men in one sense—impassive other than the "manly" feelings.

And then, when my mom walked out on us to pursue her addictive lifestyle, that left me as the only happy one, the only one who didn't just hide how I felt; the only optimistic one.

And that can only last so long. Before long, I was a reluctant pessimist starting middle school, and I started losing more and more friends—including Preston.

I turned to the way wrong crowd. Actually got addicted to alcohol, pot, sex, and Mountain Dew. Now, Mountain Dew's the only addiction I still haven't broken, but I also don't plan to break it.

Okay, and really, I wasn't addicted to—to put it medically—vaginal or anal sex. It was the oral that got me. And usually, it was with women.

Trust me. I've never given a guy head. That's an insult, so degrading. I mean, think about it. A guy will tell you to suck his dick when he hates you. To do it for fun is just degrading. They won't admit it, but they lose a bit of respect for the girl.

And yes. I would know. How? I'm empathetic, which means I can control and feel the emotions of the people around me. That's how. That's also what made me weird from the beginning.

Why am I this way? Your guess is as good as mine.

Anyways, on top of all that other stuff, I got addicted to self-mutilation. I cut myself, broke bones, and did all kinds of utterly stupid things . . . to myself.

I'm so against self-mutilation and suicide now that it's really not even funny. Kinda sad, really. I will blow up when people start joking about that kinda stuff. Actually, I beat the hell outta this one guy. It's serious shit, okay? Not a joke.

And on top of all the other trouble going on, I decided as I went through middle school that I was a lesbian. Turns out, I just wanted to like women more than I actually did. I wanted to spite my dad, because for whatever reason, I blamed him for everything. I wanted to rebel, and I was willing to do anything to spite him.

And then, I overdosed. I mixed alcohol and drugs, and I almost died. I was a thirteen-year-old girl under the influence with a seventeen-year-old girl heading to her house with her to have some drunk and high oral.

She got out scotch free, and I almost died.

And, seeing Preston, after waking up from my coma and before he realized I was awake . . . seeing Preston and my dad hugging each other, bawling their eyes out like they did, I realize that I had messed up. Big time. They didn't need to lose my mom _and _me. What would that do to them? They didn't deserve this; they deserved better.

So, that's what I gave them. I changed.

It was a hard road. I mean, I wasn't that bad off. I went through some rehab, and I started back on the right path. Then, a year and a half later, I get abducted in a park. Why did I get abducted? Because I could sense what the guy was feeling, and I used these said feelings and figured out what he was doing—or planning to do anyways. I saw the girl he was going after, and I warned her of the creepy man staring at her—stalking her. So, she got the hell outta there.

He took me instead, despite my attempts to get away. Of course, my dad decided I needed a cell phone after I managed to get back, but I didn't have one then, and there was no one around.

Except the girl, who _did _call the police. Gave them my description. When my dad told them I was missing, they told him why.

Yeah. We can all picture that _lovely _conversation.

My dad: Um, yes, I would like to report my daughter missing.

Officer: Name?

Dad: Mika Crosslin.

Officer: Picture?

Dad: -quickly hands over the most recent photo of me, which is from, like, fifth grade-

Officer: Oh yeah. She's the girl that was abducted in the park. Hey, fellas! Got a name for the abduction!

Three weeks later, the said rapist is passed out drunk. He was so messed up and so high that he wasn't thinking straight. So, when I asked him to take the handcuffs off of me so that I could get him some more drugs, he did. Then I picked up the knife he used on me over and over, and I killed him. He wasn't attacking me, and I didn't have to. But I did, and no one questioned it. They wrote it off as self-defense.

The problem was, he fed me drugged food—when he fed me—and all he gave me to drink was Vodka. So, all my progress was ruined.

Therefore, I had to go back to rehab. It didn't take much longer before I was able to stop the drugs, because no matter how strong the urges were, I always remembered that moment in the hospital. I always thought about Preston and my dad being left all alone, with no one but each other.

How messed up would Preston be? He loses not only his mom but also his twin sister all before his fifteenth birthday?

That's a messed up life, and I can't do that to him.

And now, Jason—our father—is getting married. To a wonderful woman, I will admit. Meeting her was a little awkward and uncomfortable, but once she sat down, and we talked to her…I had never been happier in my entire life. This woman was…inspirational, and so nice. Honestly, I kinda liked her better than my real mom.

But I will not _ever _admit that out loud.

We had never met her before they decided to get engaged. They dated for a little over a year, but he always went to pick her up. He met her kids, but she never met his. Weird, I know, but that's how it worked out. So, when they decided to get engaged, they first asked her kids, and us. I thought that was a nice thing to do. Unlike some parents who are a little selfish and move to make themselves happy too.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. It was just so selfless, and I just…

Anyways, so, we met her, and we gave our full approval. Simply because she's amazing, and she's beyond perfect for Jason.

Jason loved my mom, or so he thought anyways. She was the head cheerleader, and he was the all-star quarterback. Same old cliché story there.

And she ends up a fucked up druggie, him a single dad with a son and a daughter—the latter being a fucked up mess.

Then, he meets Val. It's _also _cliché to say she changed his life, but she really did. Beyond what words can describe.

When we gave our approval, they told us the hitch they had decided, even after getting approval. They needed to make sure that we were compatible with her family, and vice versa. I really don't know what happens if we're not . . . .

At any rate, we decided, since her house is _massive_ and has an extra bedroom and a basement—which I was given with the promise of complete renovation—that we would move in for the remainder of the summer. Which is just about a month.

Then, once we're positive we're compatible, or positive we're _not_, we'll let them know—all seven of us.

That made today the big day—the scary big day. Today was the day we moved in. And I'm so close to turning seventeen. So close I can taste it!

I know, I know. You're thinking, seventeen? So what? What does that get you?

Hello? Into R-rated movies? One step closer to eighteen?

But, right now, we were pulling in the driveway. Well, Jason's 2010 black lifted Toyota Tundra was pulling in. In the cab in the back of his truck, my poor 2012 Ducati Monster—blacked out except the glowing neon blue rims—was strapped down and unable to ride.

I had gotten that when I turned fourteen as a present for doing so good in rehab. Preston didn't want one, so he didn't get one.

But I wanted one, so I got one.

That's what makes me feel so terrible about all the stupidity I went through, all the stuff I put my dad and brother through. My life has been _incredible_ compared to the lives of others. I mean, yeah, I lost my mom, but that doesn't make all of that necessary. Jason is an _incredible _vet, loved by all, and he's thought very highly of.

Just like Val, apparently.

My point is, there was never any wondering where the next meal was gonna come from, or checking the house for every last penny for the gas to get a parent to work. I mean, we got everything we wanted, pretty much.

Not to the point we were spoiled into conniving little brats. I mean, we were spoiled, but Jason didn't let it get to our heads. I mean, it's his money, not ours, so what's there to be arrogant about?

Enough of that rant there . . . because I can go on _much _farther than that. But I won't for sake of your sanity and my calmed temper.

Like I said, Jason was in the Tundra, which held my Ducati. Right, right. I was in my _incredible _2011 blacked out Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, which had all of my stuff that I would need this month. If they decided to get married, we would get the rest of our stuff, and we would sell all the unneeded furniture and house.

Preston and I swore to each other last night that no matter how bad this family is—not saying they will be, but it's a possibility—that we would suck it up and deal with it for just one more year. Jason was too happy to let this woman go, and she is so amazing. I can't stress that enough. I mean, we both love her too, but differently than Jason. Obviously. Trust me when I say I don't have an attraction to females. Not at all.

The problem we worried about was whether or not her kids would like us. Some of them were twenty-one, and I'm pretty sure we went to school with them all. The oldest ones would've been seniors our freshman year, so they wouldn't remember us—hopefully.

Jason told me all their names, but I couldn't remember them. Not exactly. There were just so many, and then one of them had a boyfriend staying here, I think? In separate rooms, obviously, so I knew Val wouldn't have trust issues.

And Jason was beginning to get over his, so I wouldn't be smothered here.

Back to our pact, and enough of my rambling.

So, yes, Preston and I decided to do whatever it took to make her kids love us. If it meant changing who we are around them, we were willing to do whatever it took. Because, no matter what, they'll get married, and Jason will be happy.

It was the one thing I was determined to do.


	4. 03: Did it have to be her?

**wow. been a while for this one. huh. anyways, i hope you enjoy it. R&R for more. :) i also hope i've cleared up any prior confusion. hehe. :3**

**03. Did it have to be her?**

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><p><strong>03. Someone Who Cares: Three Days Grace<strong>

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><p><strong>*Max*<strong>

_Please remember the names. Please remember the names!_

No matter how many times I stressed that, I still couldn't help but worry about slip-ups. These guys knew the drill. They knew their cover stories well enough to recite them in their sleep, okay?

But when safety _could _be an issue, all of our safety, it's my job to worry. Can't just turn it on and off. Sorry.

Actually, no. Scratch that. I'm _not _sorry. You've got a problem with me worrying for my family, get the fuck over it.

Ugh. I shouldn't say that. You know, with me trying to be a good role model and all, especially for Angel.

Fang was being unusually quiet.

I know, I know. The impassive, mysterious, silent hybrid was being _quiet_? Yes. Even when it's just the two of us, which is _not _like him. He talked this morning, but after breakfast, he's been kinda . . . weird . . . almost like he's thinking.

And even when I make jokes about how he shouldn't be doing that, he just ignores me and continues thinking.

Why is this boy so damn mysterious and frustrating? Can anyone tell me? Anyone?

That's what I thought. No one knows!

"They're here!" Ella called out in the creepy _Fourth Kind _voice, giggling maniacally as she turned, eyes wide.

Nudge screamed loudly as she ran from the room, because the poor girl _still _had nightmares from that movie.

I rolled my eyes. "Ella, must you torment the poor girl?"

She was grinning wildly at me. "Yeah, 'cause it's payback."

"Pay her back later, when they're not arriving," I pleaded. "Remember? We have to act normal, morph into people they like."

"What if they like us for who we are?" Gazzy asked curiously, frowning a little. "I'm tired of pretending to be someone I'm not. I have to do it all the time at school too!"

I ruffled his hair a little, something he scowled about—because it's "treating him like a baby," apparently. "Well, Gaz, we have to do this. For Mom. And who knows? Maybe you already know them. Didn't Mom say they go to the same school as you guys?"

Fang nodded. "Yeah. Which is what makes me wonder . . . she says their names are Mika and Preston Crosslin?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah. Something like that. Or Peyton and Mike? Something like that."

"That sounds familiar," Gazzy wondered aloud. "I've heard someone mention that name . . . who was it? Hmm."

"I know her," Fang said quietly, lips turning into a slight grin. "Mika Crosslin. Haven't heard from that girl in a long time."

"A girl named Mika?" Iggy snorted. "That's weird."

"She's different," Fang agreed, going back to the usual impassive instantly. "Trust me, though. We'll be able to live with her."

"Us or you?" I scowled. A part of me already hated this girl, but I still wasn't able to put a face with the name. I knew I shouldn't be jealous, because I knew Fang didn't think of her like that. He used to talk about her a lot, but only in that little sister kind of way.

Who is she?

When I heard a knock on the door, I realized I was about to find out.

Mom practically ran to the door, calling out, "I've got it!" along the way. We all cleared a path, because she was really moving along.

"Preston, Mika!" she was absolutely beaming, but we all knew she was a little scared on the inside too. "You don't have to knock. This is your home. Come on in. We'll get you unpacked and unloaded in a jiffy. I'm sure you're both exhausted, so we'll let you rest first."

"We're fine," a male voice—Preston—said honestly. "But, either way works with us."

Awkward. The tension in the room was so thick that it couldn't even be cut with a chainsaw.

Until the . . . absolutely beautiful Mika entered the room. She had the same effect on the emotions in the room that the empathetic Iggy usually did. Which was a little strange to me.

At any rate, the _second _she walked in, everything changed. She glanced at all of us through very unique and mystifying eyes. I couldn't say they were just one incredible color but two—one a bright a almost unnatural purple and the other a bright, definitely unnatural, red. I didn't get distracted with her eyes too long, though, because the moment she spotted _Fang_, she got this huge, wide smile and squealed a little.

Remember my whole jealousy deal from earlier? Yeah. This did _not_ help, especially when they _exchanged hugs_.

That's right. Fang exchanged hugs with someone. A girl . . . a girl that's not me.

In this moment, I wanted nothing more than to punch her in the face.

And suddenly, I was calm. A glance over at Iggy, I saw he was looking at me. So I know he was behind my control, and I was thankful.

Good little brother.

"I haven't seen or heard from you in five months!" she exclaimed, eyes bright. "What have you been up to?"

"The usual," Fang shrugged, giving her a grin. "What about you? Staying out of trouble, I hope?"

"Never," she teased, and I was instantly put on high alert. "I completely forgot your name is actually Nick. I only know you as Fang. Nick doesn't even click . . . and that totally rhymed."

_That _changed the aura of the room again. _Completely_. Fang noticed our shock, our rage, and she did too. And _understood it_.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" I asked harshly, giving him an angry glare—one he _hated _getting because he knew it meant I was really pissed at him.

Suddenly, I was calm, and I didn't want to be. When I shot a look over at Iggy, I saw he was just as angry as I _had _been. So why did he change _my _rage? That's not fair.

And it didn't make sense. Nothing did right now.

One moment, she understood, and the next, she was just as confused as her brother. Mom told us that Jason knew and accepted our secret. He treated us like normal people, not creatures or things to feel sorry for. So, I got why he understood our anger with Fang.

Did he tell her? Or did she just know his name?

I didn't know, but either way, he was _dead_.

For the sake of _Preston _liking us and being able to live with us, I put on a happy mask and smiled at him.

It seemed as if Fang alone was enough to keep her here, to make her want to stay.

That wasn't the most irritating thing, though, although believe me. It was irritating. What was bugging me most was the fact that I had no idea if Fang told her or not, and if he did, why didn't he tell us about it? Why didn't he tell _me_?!

They all tried to make small talk, but as Fang and Mika carried on with me glaring bitterly from the sidelines, I realized that I just couldn't take it anymore.

I grabbed his wrist tightly, cutting her off immediately as she gawked at me, her eyes so distracting that I almost forgot what I was doing.

Almost.

Instead, I just glared as I pulled Fang right out of the room. "You told her?!"

"She just knows my name!" he insisted. "Look, I know I should've told you about it, but you would've gotten mad. I get it. I should've told you guys, but really, you wouldn't believe how she found out that if I told you."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh? Try me."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Alright. She's naturally empathetic."

* * *

><p>I was pacing around my room, my lips turned into a frown and my eyebrows pulled together. This was seriously bugging me. How was that possible? <em>Naturally <em>empathetic? And _Mika Crosslin_? I had seen those eyes before, and they weren't eyes I wanted to see in my family, much less eyes I wanted to be watching over Angel while I'm away at college.

"What is it?" Fang demanded quietly, eyes set on me while he laid across my bed and simply watched me pace. "This doesn't change anything."

I was wide-eyed as I turned towards him. "Yeah, it does! She's _exactly _what Angel is becoming! And she's the only female influence Angel's gonna have around! Well, the only one somewhat close to her age anyways."

"She went through the exact same thing Angel's going through now," he, very calmly, corrected. "To an extent. I had a class with her. Her reputation never left her. She's not the girl she used to be, Max. She can help Angel."

"I . . ." I was hesitant, mostly because his feelings for her irritated me. Why did he like _her_? What was so special about her, besides her looks and her . . . natural empathetic abilities? All I know is that she's supposedly really easy and that she used to swing both ways—mostly the same way as herself.

"Max, get to know her this summer _before _you make any decisions," he requested gently. "I can see your mind plotting a way to bring Angel with us. But that won't help anything. Let go of everything you've heard about her, and get to know Mika Crosslin. Please?"

That surprised me. Please? Since when did _Fang_, my Fang, say _please_?

Wait. Scratch that. He's not _my _Fang, even if I _do _want him to be . . . .

"Fine," I sighed, although I knew I would still dislike her. "I'll give her a chance. But if you're wrong, Angel and Gazzy are coming with us."

He nodded. "As long as they both want to."

Ugh.


	5. 04: I cannot believe I just did that

**okay. well, i didn't get a review, but you know, i think favoriting a story says just as much as a review does. :) still, PLEASE review! I need to know if i mess something up, or if you really like something. i just want to know what you think, so please review. and enjoy, too.**

**alrighty. here ya go. :) oh! the chapter song? it doesn't really fit, and i may use it again later. it's an awesome song. it's what i'm listening to now, and the title fits? :D anyways, you can listen to it if you want. Framing Hanley? Yes. They are amazing. :) i love them. lol.**

**anyways . . . . here's chapter 4. read, review, and enjoy. :)**

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><p><strong><strong>00. Born Like This: Three Days Grace  
>01. Break Out! Break Out!: All Time Low<br>02. World So Cold: Three Days Grace  
>03. Someone Who Cares: Three Days Grace<br>**04. You Stupid Girl: Framing Hanley**

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><p><strong>*Mika*<strong>

With all the help, minus Fang and Max—who hadn't come back since she angrily drug him out, which was cool with me because last I heard, he was simply hopelessly in love with her—we had all our stuff in our rooms within thirty minutes. Past those awkward introductions, there was some brief small talk, and then there was even an offer for food, but, well, Preston and I were terrified.

Her kids were the kids we were the opposite of us socially. At school, they fit in whereas we stood out. We were the misfits, the ones most people in their . . . social standing . . . would call the weird ones. How could we ever get along if they're like the others?

The most awkward thing was how they were all feeling nervous, anxious, and determined. And then one was confused because I could sense their feelings, it seemed. But that just confused me even more, because how could he know that?

I didn't focus on emotions much, although now that there were tons of people who I had heard talk, there were tons of voices in my head—in my heart.

And I hated it.

You see, when I feel what someone's feeling, it's like their voice in my head and heart _saying _what they're feeling. Weird, I know, but it's the way it is.

We finished with the moving process, like I said, quickly. Dr. Martinez had to leave to get a batch of cookies out, and Jason decided it would be best to follow her. Max at the word "cookies" came rushing right back in. So, we were all now awkwardly placed in the living room alone, making no sounds at all. There were the slight sounds of our breaths, the voices of their emotions in my head, and the clock.

That was it.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to ask," Will finally spoke up, breaking the thick tension very bluntly. But, it was okay. I liked his voice; very sexy and relaxing. Mysterious too, just like those beautiful piercing blue eyes of his—enough that it kind of turned me on a little, just the talking part.

For whatever reason, he laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head and looked down. "I, uh . . . ."

He didn't know how to go on, so I focused in on his voice in particular and heard it. Heard what he was feeling, guessed what he was trying to ask, trying to say . . . .

"Oh my tigers," I breathed softly, eyes widening a little as my cheeks warmed up. "I, um . . . I have no idea how or why I'm empathetic. I was just born that way. I'm not one to judge, so I really don't care that you're different. You can stop pretending to be normal and relax. Actually, I think being different is better. It explains my hair."

Yes. I'm referring to my awesome naturally black hair with bright electric blue, neon pink, neon green, purple, and red streaks.

"Wait just a minute," Ella said quickly, eyebrows furrowing. "What are you talking about?"

Preston's teeth ground together, and as he pointedly looked at me, I could just figure out what he was saying, even without knowing he was rather irritated at the moment. I could almost hear him saying, _Mika, I thought we agreed not to talk about this until after they're married_. But, he didn't actually say it.

"Things changed," I said quietly, giving him a sincere glance of apology. "I, uh, I didn't know this would happen. I was hoping it _wouldn't_, actually."

"Somehow, this girl can feel and alter emotions, too," Will explained to her, eyes still on me.

And he began feeling a spontaneous pool of emotions, starting with awestruck. Then moving to horny. Then moving from horny to embarrassed and frustrated; with himself, it seemed.

His random emotion process irritated me at first, but then, I was flattered. And then a little embarrassed too, because soon, we would be stepbrother and stepsister. Therefore, anything between us would just be weird . . . not necessarily _wrong_. Just weird.

I mean, personally, I didn't care. It's not illegal, it's not nasty, so why does it matter what people think?

Not that anything _was _gonna happen, because he just kinda seemed like the player type to me. And, he _was _about to be my stepbrother. Even if he thought I was the most beautiful, sexy woman on the face of the earth—if he does, he's just a moron, which is yet another reason to stay away—it wouldn't be enough.

Not that it wouldn't make me very happy to hear from someone as sexy as him . . . .

_Oh shit. Can't think things like that, because he can feel as I become horny myself._

He grinned a little, because just like that, he _did _notice. "Um, so, she can know now. It's only fair we tell her brother also, and it's clear we can actually trust him, because he's kept her secret all these years. Why not ours?"

"If we can't manage under the same roof, there would be reason," Ali reminded him. "Not saying they're that kind of person who would tell the world, but I'm not saying they aren't either. I know we vowed to make it work for Mom, no matter what, but that doesn't mean they did and that they plan to."

"Oh, thank God," I sighed, tuning out all emotions so I could have a conversation without distractions. "Actually, um, Ali, I'm sorry to, uh, interrupt you two, but I can't help it. I just think you should know that we vowed to make it work however possible, so you guys aren't the only ones."

She gave me a small smile, something that, honestly, surprised me. "Is Jason a million times happier now too?"

I nodded, my eyes falling to the ground. "Yeah. Much happier. Happier than, well, ever. I'm glad you guys are determined to make it work too."

"I'll show you to your rooms," Emily suggested blissfully, surprising me with her sudden cheerful ways after she seemed so depressed earlier, like someone had just killed her dog or something.

I smiled softly. "Thanks."

And that's how the beginning of the first day with the Martinez family went. They all seemed pretty awesome.

Except Will . . . because he was . . . he made me want to slap him silly all of the sudden, the way he looked at me like a shiny toy, not a person. He didn't care that I had feelings, or that I wasn't just some doll he could stand up in his room and pleasure himself with.

And that irritated me. For whatever reason, it irritated me more than guys usually do. That alone confused me.

Why was he any different? It's not like that's the first time a guy's looked at me like that, thought of me like that to the point they turned themselves on, but Will doing it made me so mad. I wanted to beat his face in.

A knock on my bedroom door surprised me, to the point I jumped. I checked to see who it was by seeing whose heart voice was closer—that's what I call the voices in my head that tell me what someone's feeling—so I wouldn't be surprised.

"Yep, your favorite twenty-one year old hybrid," he informed me, noticing my curiosity.

I rolled my eyes as I pulled open the door, temporarily ignoring that statement to get rid of the confusion I was suddenly overwhelmed with. "That would probably be Ali or Fang as of now. But hey. You can always hope, right?"

He made a mocking expression of disappointment before rolling his eyes a little. "Anyways, supper time. Before you go, though, I just wanted to tell you something. Something serious. I just thought you might wanna know that if we weren't about to be stepbrother and sister, I would be interested in dating you."

_More like fucking me_, I thought, kind of wishing he could've heard that. But, he couldn't, so I just gave him my own sarcastic concerned expression right back. "Well, I just think you might wanna know that I wouldn't be interested in dating you."

That surprised him more than _anything _I had said or done yet. "You . . . did you just . . . ?

"Yes, I just did," I smirked, stepping past him and walking towards the dining room, where everyone was sitting around talking loudly about all kinds of different things. Strangely enough, Monique and Preston were seriously bonding, talking about their secret, what it's like to fly, etc. And he seemed genuinely interested in her.

Ever since he picked to stick with me, he hasn't really been the social type. So, it surprised me that he was flirting with a college girl.

And they were both definitely into each other.

When Will and I sat down, unfortunately beside each other in the last two empty chairs, Val and Jason both began trying to quiet everyone down. So, of course, I didn't even bother saying anything.

"We just wanted to know what your status was so far," Val explained kindly, giving us all a timid smile. She was so worried because she wanted nothing more than to make her kids happy, but right underneath that—just barely too, not even enough difference to see without a supersonic microscope—was her desire to marry Jason.

"And we'll ask you once a week," Jason added on gently.

Ali looked around at everyone, particularly Preston and me, before looking back to the two. "We've already figured out that we'll be fine together."

"M—Ali," Val smiled. "Thanks for being so quick to make us happy, but you can't decide this quickly."

"Well, we'll do something together tomorrow to prove it," she suggested. "All of us. I'm not sure what yet. I'll think of something. But, we will, and we'll all come back as if we're best friends because we really do get along. Sometimes, Mom, you _can _tell that quickly. We all bonded instantly. Remember?"

She sighed but nodded. "Alright. If you can _all _come back tomorrow night after spending all day with each other, and you can tell me by Wednesday that you really are certain you can stand living with each other, we'll talk about it."

"Thank you!" Ella squealed. "Oh, Mom! I already have it envisioned! It'll be right outside, in the backyard during sunset, with—"

"Actually, Ella, I'm pretty sure they're set on going to Vegas," I interrupted teasingly, although I was completely serious.

Her eyes widened in surprise as they all looked to Val. "Mom . . . you are?"

She grimaced, and I suddenly felt bad. Really bad.

Will rolled his eyes, clearly not understanding my sudden mood shift from joking and happy into guilt. It wasn't something, I guess, his sexist mind would allow him to comprehend.

"Vegas sounds awesome!" Jackson exclaimed, after I'm sure Val explained why she hadn't told them yet. "Can we bring a friend? Who just so happens to be a female?"

"Um, _no_," Ali answered for her. "What girl's parents would let her go off by herself with a fifteen-year-old boy to _Las Vegas_? Supervised or not?"

I shrugged and laughed a little. "My best friend Sarah's parents would, actually. Odd family. They would actually encourage her to get wasted and get hitched, strangely enough."

"Yes, Sarah!" Preston and Jason both exclaimed, almost in unison.

"She should come," Jason said by himself, nodding encouragingly. "After all, she _is _family. Ask her parents."

I shrugged. "I'll ask her."

"Wait, Sarah Patrick?" Jackson asked quickly, eyebrows rising a little in question.

I nodded. "You know her?"

He snorted. "Yeah! She's awesome! All my friends say she's a freak, though, and she's apparently got an STD just because of who her best friend is? I don't know. I don't question that stuff in details, but she was in my Biology class with me."

I didn't realize I had a fork in my hand until I squeezed it and accidentally stabbed myself, but I didn't really even notice _that _until Preston jumped up from the table, eyes wide as he looked at my hand.

"Um, Mika? Yeah. Put the fork down."

And I did, very quickly, but it was still bleeding.

"Oh!" Val exclaimed quickly, her own big brown eyes widening. "Let me help you with that, sweetie. What exactly happened?"

"I, uh, remembered something very irritating, and, um, that caused my fists to clench," I lied, aware my teeth were probably noticeably grinding. "I'm okay, though. I can handle it. Thanks, though."

"Mika, don't do this," Preston murmured lowly, stepping out of the dining room and into the bathroom with me so he could talk to me in private. "Unless you want to talk about your past. No normal seventeen-year-old knows how to clean up wounds that bad."

"Well, we all knew she wasn't normal," Will snorted, surprising us both as he began getting out supplies from the medicine cabinet in here.

I glowered harshly up at him. "Will, get out of my fucking way and leave my conversations between Preston and I alone! Got that?"

He just smirked at me. "What? I was told to come help show you where everything is. You've got a lot of explaining to do, missy. After dinner, we shall talk."

"Um, no we shall not," I snorted out-loud. "You can go sit in your room and talk to yourself, and I'm gonna go to mine and sleep."

He continued to smirk triumphantly. "I'll just tell everyone then."

My eyes narrowed to almost slits as I looked at him, and he just smiled pleasantly over at me. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, believe me, I would."

"Fine," I finally agreed, after the two of us continued looking at each other with different glances, mine being pure rage and his being pure arrogance. "But not tonight. And you have to explain everything to me too."

I wanted to scream just for agreeing to talk to him in general, but especially alone. In his room.

And Preston wasn't here to smack me for being so stupid either. Once Will got here, he disappeared.

That traitor.

"Alright. Tomorrow night, then," he said simply, placing the things I would need to help myself on the counter. "It's a date."

"Ugh, no!" I very loudly exclaimed in his face. For the next parts, I got quieter. "It's not a date. The words you, me, and date will never be in the same sentence."

He was still just as smug as before. "They just were."

"That doesn't count," I snapped firmly, noticing the now bright red hand I had. This conversation made me forget that I was bleeding.

Val came back there, nodding for Will to clear out and give her space. "Come with me, sweetheart. This is going to take more than a Band-Aid. We'll go back to my room, and we can fix you up there."

With a sigh of defeat, I followed her into the master bathroom, where she began working diligently on fixing up my hand. It gave me lots of time to think, because thinking always distracted me from remembering the pain.

And through thinking, I began regretting the conversation with Will that enclosed a promise to tell him about my past tomorrow night!

Ugh. Stupid Mika.


	6. 05: We share common ground interesting

**got another favorite! :) here's another chapter. i really need reviews, though! please? :3**

**05. We share common ground; interesting.**

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><p>00. Born Like This: Three Days Grace<br>01. Break Out! Break Out!: All Time Low  
>02. World So Cold: Three Days Grace<br>03. Someone Who Cares: Three Days Grace  
>04. You Stupid Girl: Framing Hanley<strong><br>05. Ignorance: Paramore**

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><p>There was a knock on my door the next day, around eleven, that really started the day for me. As usual, I got up at five and ran, but after that, I always showered, came back to my room, and just kind of lazed around there until someone needed me.<p>

It was Nudge, looking and feeling rather surprised that I was sitting on the edge of my bed with my iPod in my ears—blaring the song _All I Want _by **A Day to Remember**—and my Mac in front of me. I was using it for Yahoo! Messenger, which I was using to talk to Sarah. She's gonna be a sophomore this year, and she's got this guy she's crushing on who's apparently way out of her league.

Boy drama, I know. It's something I stay out of myself, simply because I haven't found a boy worth it yet. Well, boy, man, or guy. Just . . . haven't found anyone.

I looked up at her with raised eyebrows. "Yes, ma'am?"

Once again, she felt surprised—more so than before—but she also seemed a tad nervous around me, like most people seemed to. "Wow. Preston was still sound asleep, yet you're wide awake and doing stuff?"

"He's not a morning person," I explained with a grin. "Hates mornings, really. Is he actually up?"

She seemed too intimidated to use words, so she just slowly nodded. "Erm, we're, uh . . . shopping trip. If you want to go . . . ."

"Oh, of course!" I exclaimed, quickly scrambling up to my feet. I decided, so she wasn't too freaked out, to give her a brief, forced smile. Not so much fake as it was forced . . . a little awkward, if you ask me. "Shopping is, erm, always fun. When . . . when are we leaving?"

"Wow," Max mused, laughing to herself as she joined in on our conversation. But only after Nudge stood there for a few more long moments, completely silent. "First person I've ever met that makes Nudge speechless. Your brother, by the way, is a pain in the ass to get up. Anyways, we're leaving in ten. You up for it?"

"Sure!" I agreed eagerly, possibly a bit too eagerly, so I calmed down a little. Nudge was thankful to have an exit, so she disappeared out the door. "Shopping is my girlish weakness."

Max sighed dismally, almost as if she didn't like it. "Mine too. But don't you _dare_ tell a soul."

I nodded to let her know both that I got it and that I wouldn't. With a quick message to Sarah telling her to text me, I shut down my computer and rushed into my huge walk-in closet to begin changing.

Faintly, though, I heard that arrogant, way too damn sexy voice. "Come on, Angel. Get in there before she starts changing. I wanna see those D cups in all their glory."

A low growl escaped my lips as I turned and looked to the, now, two girls standing in my doorway, who both looked genuinely confused at my sudden mood change. Angel was standing there, frowning, but resting on her head was a strange hat . . . with a fucking camera in it. She also seemed _very _confused, as if she had no idea what was going on.

I didn't respond to their confusion. Instead, I curtly walked passed them and into Iggy's room, which was _right beside mine_. It was a downside, definitely, but I got over it and endured the misery. For Jason and Val.

"For your information, you sexist bastard, I'm a double D, not just a D," I snapped bitterly. "But, thank you for bringing it to my attention that I can't change in front of anyone now. That could've ended badly."

When he _smirked _at me, I almost lost it. It was all I could do to stop myself from punching that perfect face of his. But, I managed to keep my cool, as I kept reminding myself, _Jason and Val. Jason and Val._

"For you or for me? 'Cause that would be a very satisfying sight for me."

"Go fuck yourself," I snorted, turning to head out of his room.

I almost rammed right into Max as I did this, who was scowling at him. "Iggy, we agreed—especially you, Ella, and me—that we wouldn't do anything to make them not like us. This isn't helping anything."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "She started it."

I rolled my eyes. "Would you prefer I lie and pretend I was a little interested? You would've felt differently anyways, so it would be pointless."

"That's true," he murmured. "But, hey. You were the one listening to my conversations. That's an invasion of privacy. It's pathetic."

"I can't help that I heard you," I all but barked back at him. "And don't start with me about invading privacy! You were gonna use Angel to watch me change! _That's _pathetic. But you know what? I'm gonna be the better person and walk away from this. I'm gonna tune out all emotions so I don't kill you, even though it takes a _lot _of thought and concentration."

"Which we all know _you _don't need to be doing," he scoffed. "Alright. I have to get ready for this stupid shopping trip. Everyone but Mika, please leave." Once he finished talking, he shot me that cocky grin of his.

And all I could do was roll my eyes again as I turned and headed out.

Max grimaced. "I'm sorry about my brother. He's been kinda down these past few years, more so than before."

There was sudden remorse and shame, it seemed, seeping from Max now as she adverted her eyes away from me.

I blinked. "Um . . . okay. Hey, look. I just wanna say this now, not because I want you to tell me what you're thinking and feeling embarrassed about, but because I think you should know. I don't judge. Whatever went on had its reasons, and who am I to determine if they're 'good' reasons or 'bad' ones? Nah. I _really _can't say anything. I've messed up enough for everyone in this house . . . enough to last us all a lifetime. But, yes. There ya go. Imma go change now."

Shock was the basic sketch of everyone's emotions. At the same time. Including _Iggy's_.

But, I didn't care what he thought. That was his own business, and either way, it didn't matter to me.

It took me a bit to decide what it was I wanted to wear. Not too long, though, because I didn't want them to have to wait for me. So, I just put on a pair of short dark blue jean shorts, bright electric blue shimmery tights, a black lacy camisole, my black combat boots, and my black zip-up hoodie.

Why a hoodie and tights at the beginning of summer in Arizona? Well, my scars . . . they're really bad against my pale, practically white, skin, so they're obvious if I don't wear something over them.

"Mom's Equinox holds five," Max reminded Iggy pointedly as I walked out of my room, making sure to grab my keys as I went. "She took our Roadster to work today so we could have more room. Your Camaro only holds two, _maybe _three. Angel doesn't like riding back there anymore."

Iggy rolled his eyes. "So what do you suggest?"

"Well, there's ten of us," Max sighed. "So, anyone else have a five person vehicle?"

"I do," I said instantly, smiling a little as Fang grinned and cocked an eyebrow at me. It seemed to piss Max off, but that was a good thing in this case. If Max and Fang weren't together, maybe I could be the push to get them there! Clearly she's jealous of me, although I have no idea why she would be, so I could make her so jealous that she realizes she can't live without him and has to be with him.

Iggy looked over at Preston with a grin, almost as if he was _trying _to ignore me. "Dude, that Ducati is pretty sick."

Preston let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his head, right about the same time I smirked over at Iggy. "That, uh, it's actually Mika's. The 2011 Geiger Mustang . . . that's mine. She's got the Jeep and the Ducati."

His eyes widened in surprise, but he looked over at me anyways, truly impressed. "Ah. You're a Mustang guy. What about you?"

"Camaro all the way," I sighed happily. "My next vehicle _will _be a Camaro. 2012. Convertible. _Completely _blacked out."

Now, he looked and felt flat out cocky, and I didn't understand why, not until he said, "That's what I've got. Exactly."

I just sighed dismally. "Of course it is. But, hey. I have room for four more in my Jeep."

Max nodded and smiled. "Nudge? Why don't you take the Equinox? You, Preston, Gazzy, Blake, and Ella? Does that sound good?"

"Works for me," she shrugged, enjoying the fact that _she _was given the keys, and not Ella or Blake. The group she called out left, heading out for the garage, I guess.

That left Iggy, Max, Fang, Angel, and me.

"It'll be best if Fang, Angel, and I sit in the back," Max sighed, and even though I had no idea why she was saying that, I didn't argue because that put her and Fang back there together. "I didn't think about that. You two gonna kill each other?"

"Nah," I decided, after pausing a few brief seconds to think. "I can handle him."

Iggy smirked. "Probably not in bed."

"Ugh, you're so stupid," I muttered before walking quickly out the front door, simply _hoping _they were all following me.

They were, because when I turned on my Jeep and _I Don't Care _by Apocalypta feat. AdamGontierfrom Three Days Gracestarted loudly playing, they all climbed in too.

Iggy looked a little surprised as he cocked an eyebrow in the direction of my stereo. "Wow. Nice taste in music. Love this song."

I smiled happily over at him. "How do you feel about Theory of a Deadman?"

"I feel like they're pretty fucking amazing," he said honestly. "Breaking Benjamin?"

"Incredible!" I exclaimed blissfully. "Three Days Grace?"

He snorted. "Who _doesn't _like them? What about My Darkest Days?"

"That is very true," I mused, pursing my lips a little before nodding. "Oh _hell _yes. Most people haven't heard of them, but what about Paramore? Kinda different than the others—okay, a lot different—but still."

"Oh yes. Face it, Iggy, you're gonna end up falling hard for this girl,"Max said matter-of-factly in a sing-song kind of way, almost like she was mocking him. I could feel her discomfort with the subject, and that's when I realized that she really didn't like me. It was more than just jealousy, too.

Huh. Wonder why—which is sarcasm, my friend. She doesn't realize that I'm not my reputation.

Iggy grunted. "Ugh. Yes, Paramore. And thank you, Max. You could keep these things to yourself." Then, he shrugged. "But, whatever. You're wrong, either way."

"Nope," Max disagreed.

Huh? Do I get no say in this? Whether he falls in love with me or not, I am _not _and will _not _be with him . . . _ever_! First of all, by the end of the summer, he'll be my stepbrother. That's, like, step-incest!

But . . . is it wrong? I don't think so. I just needed that extra excuse so things made sense in my head.

***Iggy***

Mika seemed so confused, even though she knew the gist of what Max was saying. She didn't understand what we were talking about, though, but I didn't really care if she did or not.

How sick would that be? To fall in love with my stepsister? I mean, sure, she's not _technically _my stepsister yet, but she might as well be. And the whole empathetic thing? Being two-ways would get really annoying and really old, really quick.

And Max expects me to fall in love with her? That weird, strange, messed up, sexy girl sitting beside me? There was no logical way.

Besides, love is just a weird, mind controlling emotion that sucks the brains out of people, leaving them nothing but walking zombies with hearts gushing with sick, sappy emotions and feelings. Therefore, they see opportunities for love that will never really happen.

Sorry. Emo rant for the day. No; that does _**NOT**_ make me emo. So what if I have black tips in my hair? That doesn't make me a bad person, or an emo person either. It was just an emo_tional_ rant. There is a big difference.

Love was just something I didn't like. To be honest, I hated everything about it, everything about the idea. The idea of being with someone because I want to be, not because I have to be or because my hormones are controlling me just doesn't seem fun.

It just doesn't . . . okay. Ella and Blake seem so happy, right?

Well, they're the _only _couple I know that don't have problems, aren't constantly fighting, and actually stay together and just truly love each other. Everyone else I know who is in love, i.e. Gazzy or Angel, are in love with someone who will never love them back, and they're going to be miserable all of their lives because of it, because of love.

And, love gives people the idea that life is a fairytale, and one person can make everything right and perfect and will stop anything and everything from going wrong.

That just doesn't happen. Life is _not _a fairytale, and things will go wrong. All love does is sickly twist the human brain into thinking that someone cares, and then they're just suddenly gone. Love doesn't exist anymore, and that person is left broken and alone.

For just an instant, love can change the world. Then, reality hurts that much worse, because you got so wrapped up in your fantasy land. It's really just an excuse to get hurt.

It's just the slowest form of suicide.

And, I love you . . . they're just words! It doesn't mean anything when they're gone. When that love fails, the sucker that was stupid enough to fall in love in the first place is left broken and confused and alone. Like, our mom is a single mom, and who knows where Ella's dad is. Seriously? I mean, yeah, she's got Jason now, but still.

People _die _because of this, okay? I understand sacrificing yourself for people you care about, like I would do for any of my family, but killing yourself over a deceased love? No way in _hell _is that _ever _happening. It's stupid!

Some people are actually stupid enough to mistake love for lust too. That's when it gets bad.

See, what really sucks is when you love someone, and they love someone else, and that someone else that they love just loves someone else. Do you get the pattern? People say that love is making the world better, but it's not. It's making it worse, and more depressing. More people are killing themselves because of love and romance and all that crap that people don't need.

So, yeah; I'm not gonna fall in love, ever. Most people spend their life trying to find love, and I'm trying to lose it.


End file.
